Nineteen

Nineteen never felt the warmth of her clan.

Oh, the clan gathered together, and spoke in the way of the Coatl, but her hearing was never good by any standards. So she hovered at the edges, careful to hold onto whatever scraps of companionship were tossed her way. Her being born of Plague had its difficulties as well. No matter how genuine the words of a clanmemeber, it was prudent to keep physical distance between Plagues. Those not hatched in the flight were particularly vulnerable to the aura of sickness and rot that seemed to follow Plague dragons. And there were so many hatchlings... well, numbers were simply an easier way to keep track of all the dragons and drakes hanging about the lair.

She became interested in herbs and magic and books, slowly building herself a den of knowledge and skill. She became known as something of a healer. She knew which herbs were good to eat, which could be made into a potent poison, and which, under the right circumstances, would stave off infection and help scales knit together.

Still, deaf and in a clan that had little interest in her outside of her skills, she began to wander farther from the den she called home. Rarer plants could be found farther abroad. And despite her nature, despite her calling as someone hatched from Rot, she was fascinated by the way things grew.

She was surprised by the pile of sleeping dragons she stumbled across one night. She hadn't known she'd stumbled into another den. She made to leave, but was entranced by the way these dragons had chosen to sleep. They piled on top of each other, each dragon comfortably crushed by the weight of another. It seemed so strange to her... And yet, her chest ached with the desire of it.

The next morning, she approached one of the dragons who seemed to be in charge; A pure white Guardian she would later learn was named Sinbad. She forced the harsh words of draconic out of her mouth, unsure if she had said anything comprehensible. She felt her wings fall as the Guardian looked at her quizzically, and shook his head. She drooped and turned away. She'd misunderstood his refusal, thinking he was blocking her entry to the clan.

She did not realize that he had simply said he was not the leader. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned. A Mirror stared at her with all his sparkling pink eyes. She strained to feel the air vibrate as he spoke. His snout was moving, but he spoke too quickly to understand. She shook her head. She was already leaving, what more could he wish to humiliate her with?

He finished his speech and pulled something from the folds of his waist wrap. It was a small, golden trinket. A bit of jewelry, like she'd seen other Coatls giving each other. She looked at him, hopeful, and the meaning was displayed plainly on his face.

I consider you friend. Won't you stay with us?